I met VE the street tagger/graffiti artist in class. I didn't know he was VE One at the time, but he sat down next to me in homeroom as I doodled in my notebook. I was practicing my art skills with writing letters and he mistook them for graffiti and said i was good.
He then told me that he tags everywhere and showed me his tag: a simple V and an E.
I'd not see him much after that, but I myself began tagging around my neighborhood. As I got to college and ventured off into other parts of the city, I'd notice his tag all over the place. Train tunnels, bridge walls, building rooftops. Everywhere.
I stopped tagging back in High School. That era for me lasted but a few months. But I saw those VE tags for a while until they stopped and I had heard in passing, sometime after college, he had died.
I remember thinking: 'How sad." Sad because he seemed lost and like a sad soul left alone to find his own way, all the time he was just trying to be found.
I get it now, all these years and decades later that he just wanted to be seen, so that he could know that he wasn't lost.
Imagine the sun is like a big magic lamp that sends down different kinds of light rays. One special kind is called UV-B. It's invisible to our eyes, but our skin can feel it.
UV-B (280-315 nm):
Here's what UV-B does for our bodies (super simple version):
Makes Vitamin D
Your body can only make vitamin D when UV-B touches your skin. Vitamin D is like a superhero vitamin — it helps your bones get strong, keeps you healthy, and fights off sickness.
Makes you feel happier
UV-B helps turn on special chemicals in your brain that make you feel good and less grumpy.
Gives you a tan
It tells your skin to make more melanin (that's the stuff that gives your skin color). The tan actually works like a natural sunscreen to protect you.
Helps with some skin problems
Doctors sometimes use UV-B to help kids with vitiligo (a condition where skin loses its color in patches).
Helps keep your blood vessels healthy
It can help stop bad stuff from building up inside your arteries (the tubes that carry blood).
In adult language?
UV-B (280-315 nm): The only light wavelength responsible for Vitamin D production. Activates the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) system. Improves mood and reduces seasonal affective disorder. Stimulates melanin production. Prevents atherosclerosis. Heals vitiligo
UV-A (315-400nm):
Sunlight is like a superhero for your body! One special part of sunlight is called UV-A. It's like invisible light waves that you can't see, but your skin can feel them. When you get safe amounts of sunlight (not too much, and not burning!), UV-A does some really cool things:
Helps your heart and blood: It makes your blood pipes (called blood vessels) get a little wider and more relaxed. That’s like opening up a garden hose so water flows easier. This can help keep your heart happy and your blood pressure chill.
Makes a magic helper gas: Your skin releases something called nitric oxide. It’s like a friendly gas that helps your blood move better around your body.
Fights pimples: UV-A can zap and kill some of the bad bacteria that cause acne (those annoying zits on your face).
Works with your skin’s natural color: It helps with melanin, which is the stuff that gives your skin its color and protects it like a natural sunscreen.
Sunlight isn’t just for playing outside or making vitamin D. Different parts of sunlight (like UV-A) team up to help your whole body stay healthy — your heart, skin, energy, and more.
Important rule: You still need to be smart! Don’t stay in the sun too long without sunscreen if it’s super strong, or you can get a sunburn. Short, smart sun time (like morning or late afternoon) is usually the best.
It’s nature’s free way of helping you feel good!
In adult language?
UV-A (315-400 nm):
Vasodilator of blood vessels (relaxes the cardiovascular system). Stimulates melanin production. POMC activation. Supports endogenous nitric oxide release. Destroys bacteria responsible for acne
Visible Light (400-700 nm)
Colors: Violet to Red
Violet Light (400-450 nm):
Imagine sunlight is like a rainbow with lots of different colored lights mixed together. One of those colors is violet (a purplish-blue light). Scientists found out that this special violet light is really good for your body!
Here’s what it does, super simply:
Helps your eyes stay healthy
If you spend too much time inside looking at screens or books up close, your eyes can grow the wrong way and make things far away look blurry (that’s called myopia).
Violet light from real sunlight tells your eyes: “Hey, stop growing too much!” It turns on a special “stop-growing” button inside your eyes (called the EGR1 gene). So your eyesight stays better.
Makes your brain and nerves work better
It’s like giving your whole nervous system a little energy boost so your body and brain can react faster and feel sharper.
Fights germs on your skin
Violet light can kill some yucky bacteria. That’s why it can help with pimples (acne) and some skin infections.
The big idea:
Your body loves real sunlight with all its colors — not just the light that comes through windows or from phones and TVs. The violet part is one of the reasons playing outside in the sunshine is so healthy!
So next time someone tells you to go outside and play… you can say, “Yeah! My eyes and skin need that purple light!”
Pretty cool, right?
In adult language?
Violet Light (400-450 nm): Stops myopia progression altogether via activation of the EGR1 gene in humans. Enhances nervous system responsiveness. Used in phototherapy for antibacterial properties. Improves acne and reduces infection
Blue Light (450-495 nm):
Imagine sunlight is like a superhero with many colors. One of those colors is blue light — the bright blue part you see in the sky on a sunny day.
Here's what blue light does, explained super simply:
1. It tells your body "It's daytime!"Your eyes have special sensors (like tiny cameras) that see blue light. When they catch it, they tell your brain: "Hey, wake up! It's time to be energetic!" This helps you sleep better at night and feel awake during the day.
2. It makes you feel happy and sharpBlue light from the sun gives your brain a little boost. It can make you feel more awake, in a better mood, and help you think and focus better — like when you feel good playing outside!
3. It helps burn fatBlue light can actually reach your skin and talk to the fat cells under it. It tells them to shrink a little and burn more energy. So getting safe sunlight helps your body use up fat better.
4. It fights pimples (acne)Blue light can kill the bad bacteria that cause zits on your face. That's why some doctors use special blue lights to help with acne.
The Big Idea:
The sun gives us all the colors together (red, orange, yellow, blue, etc.). Blue light is one of the helpful ones when you get it during the day from real sunlight.
In adult language?
Blue Light (450-495 nm):
Regulates circadian rhythms through melanopsin activation. Boosts alertness and mood during the day. Shrinks adipocytes (fat cells) and makes them more efficient at burning fat. Destroys bacteria responsible for acne. Boosts cognitive function
Green Light (495-570 nm):
*Clinical studies, including trials from Harvard and University of Arizona, confirm green light exposure reduces migraine frequency by up to 60% and pain intensity without side effects, supporting the post's claims.
Imagine sunlight isn't just one big bright thing—it's like a rainbow full of different colored lights mixed together. One of those colors is green light.A smart person on the internet said that when you get green light from the real sun, it can do some cool and helpful things for your body:
It can make pain feel less bad (like if your head hurts).
It helps you feel calm and relaxed.
Some people who get really bad headaches (called migraines) say green light makes the headaches happen less often and hurt less.
Doctors have even done real tests (like at big schools such as Harvard). They found that green light helped a lot of people with migraines—sometimes cutting the bad headaches way down, and it didn't have yucky side effects like some medicines do.
Why does this matter?
Your body loves real sunlight with all its colors. Each color (red, blue, green, etc.) does different helpful jobs, kind of like how different foods give you different vitamins. Green light is like one of the "chill and feel better" colors.
So next time you're outside on a sunny day, you're not just getting vitamin D—you're also getting a nice green light hug for your body and brain! Does that make sense?
In adult language?
Green Light (495-570 nm): Pain reducing properties. Promotes relaxation. Anecdotal case for migraine relief
Yellow Light (570-590nm):
*Studies on yellow LED phototherapy support reductions in skin redness, inflammation, and photoaging signs like wrinkles when used alone or combined with red/infrared light, while chromotherapy links it to mood and energy boosts, though natural sunlight effects require more specific research.
Imagine sunlight is like a rainbow of different colored lights mixed together. Each color does its own special job for your body!The post is talking about yellow light from the sun. Yellow light is that warm, sunny color you see in the middle of a rainbow (around 570-590 nanometers — but you don't need to remember that big word!).
What does yellow light do?According to the post, yellow sunlight helps your body in cool ways:
It makes your skin happier.
It can calm down red, angry, or flushed skin — like when your cheeks get red from being outside or from a little sunburn. It helps your skin look more even and peaceful.
It helps your skin stay strong and bouncy.
It tells your skin to make more collagen. Collagen is like the secret glue that keeps your skin stretchy and healthy, kind of like the springs inside a trampoline!
It gives you more energy and makes you feel good.
Just like how a bright sunny day can make you feel happier and ready to play, yellow light lifts your mood and gives you a little energy boost
We should get all the colors of sunlight (not just yellow) because each color helps our body in different ways — like a full team working together. That's why playing outside in real sunlight is so much better than just sitting inside under regular light bulbs.
Simple takeaway for kids:
Sunshine isn't just for playing and getting Vitamin D — its yellow part is like a gentle helper for your skin and your happy feelings!
In adult language?
Yellow Light (570-590 nm): Improves skin health by reducing redness and flushing. Stimulates collagen production. Helps enhance energy and mood
Orange Light (590-620 nm):
Orange light is that warm, happy color you see during sunrise or sunset.
What does orange light do?According to the post, when your body gets orange light from the real sun, it can help you feel:
More creative (great for drawing, building, or imagining stories!)
Happy energy inside (like emotional sunshine)
Calm but still awake – not sleepy, but not super hyper either. Just nicely balanced.
It's like the sun is giving your brain and body a gentle high-five that says, "You're doing great!
The big idea:
The whole sun (all its colors together) is really good for us. Each color does something special, and orange is the one that helps with feelings and creativity.
Real sunshine (not just from a phone or computer screen) is like eating a full healthy meal with all the good stuff. Screens mostly give us blue light, which is like only eating candy – not the best every day.
So next time you see a pretty orange sunset, your body might be getting a little boost of happy, creative vibes!
In adult language?
Orange Light (590-620 nm): Encourages emotional energy and a sense of creativity. Promotes calming effect, while maintaining alertness
Red Light (620-700 nm)
Imagine the sun is like a giant magic battery for your body.
Inside your skin and muscles, there are tiny "power stations" called mitochondria. They make the energy (called ATP) that your body needs to run, heal, and feel good — kind of like the batteries in your toys.
Red light from the sun (the warm, reddish part you can sometimes see at sunrise or sunset) is special. It can go through your skin and talk directly to those power stations.
What does red light do? (Super simple version)
It gives your power stations a boost so they make more energy.
It helps your skin make more collagen — that’s the stuff that keeps your skin strong and stretchy, like the springs in a trampoline.
It helps cuts, scrapes, and sore muscles heal faster.
It calms down swelling and redness when your body gets hurt or irritated.
Think of it like this:
Regular sunlight gives you vitamin D (from the blue/UV part). Red light is like the “repair and recharge” part of the sun.
Your body loves getting the whole rainbow from real sunlight — not just one color. Each color does a different helpful job, and they work together like a team.
So when people say “go outside and get some sun,” the red light is one of the big reasons it feels so good and helps you heal!
In adult language?
Red Light (620-700 nm) Stimulates mitochondrial activity to enhance ATP production (cellular energy) through red light chromophores in the electron transport chain. Promotes collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid production for skin health. Supports wound healing, muscle recovery, and tissue repair. Reduces inflammation and improves circulation
Go to your backhand more in the first set to set the pace for your opponents frame of mind. Let him or her think that this is your normal style of play, so by the 2nd and 3rd sets, when they are fatigued, they mentally do not attack your backhand, but now you can rely on your forehand and attack.
Set #1 should be spent rallying for as long as possible with your opponent while also bringing your opponent frontwards with loads of dropshots and then pushing the same opponent backwards with winners just passed them and lobs just over their reach. Repeat as much as possible to wear them down and then attack and push heavy in sets #2 and #3.
This is why placement is more important than power in tennis.
Cyrus Pavel is an independent contemporary poet, essayist, and micro-fiction writer whose work is primarily shared through digital media, short-form literary circles, and personal catalogs. Known for an emotionally raw, conversational style, his writing spans introspective poetry, philosophical micro-essays, and slice-of-life short stories.
Every amatuer coach, every pro coach, every momager and raging daddy-coach out there will say the same shit: keep the balls deep.
Sure. Ok.
They will also tell you to: play high percentage tennis.
Sure, okay.
The thing is,
If all the coaches and dadagers are telling everyone the same thing then everyone is playing the same way and capable of playing at the same level.
The nuances is what is hard to teach.
Each antagonist has signature strategies and patterns and setups and favorite traps, too. So just play them naturally, identify what they lean on most, and continue performing at your usual level while you gather information and adapt.
This can only be done when you understand that maintaining consistency across strokes must be habit.
Maybe some of your parents jumped the gun on a life-altering decision.
It's hard as fuck to make the right call when you have no guidance.
Your parents had no fault in who guided them. Most of the people that should have been guiding them didn't have great guidance themselves for them to be able to guide anyone else, properly.
Why is it different now?
I think every generation becomes contrarian of the generation or two generations that comes before them, at some points.
As we grow we shed the parts of those contrarian ideas that are stupid.
The difference today is that we have more knowledge and free flowing information at the edge of our fingertips. We also converse more as groups of people instead of individuals. Groups—depending on the bubbles we live in online, in the digital world. X, FB, IG for example.
We have all seen the memes with facts or information about a new cure, or an old science insight or some cool facts about minerals, etc.
We all walk around with minicomputers using them to search for instant results to every question we could have. We drop comments and read others comments. We share comments others post with our groups of information sharers.
Today we have 100% more organized data, more studies, more trial and error, too. Those are the differences and also the reasons we have no excuses not to be better.
Be better only because you know better and knowing better and not doing anything to optimize a wanted result is pure sabotage.
Oh, and stop searching for everything with ai and googling everything and wonder about things just a little more because society is losing its creativity at the same damn time, too.
Life with G
Is this perfectly long and etherly beautiful dream;
A dream that I have seen in other dreams of other dreams.
From a little fish to a warm pup that adores to play all day.
If I had to imagine what the perfect dream would be and I had to write it all down before it happened, I would have never calculated exactly how magical it would be.
Amazement, wonder, creativity and discipline and routine. Seeing all of those things alive happening and unraveling in front of my own eyes.
I could not have drawn out or written or imagined a better dream than this one that I am living with my G.
I am thankful to an amazing God for it. For my G; for all of it.
Maybe if I shame my city it will eventually spread the same way so many of other ideas have spread, over time.
Straight-upwards posture is going to disappear from our DNA if we keep going this way.
Everyone is staring downward into their phones, even the people standing up.
No one is aware of their surroundings and people wonder why someone gets pushed off a train track by a mentally insane person more than they should.
This disease is in our face without I.D.
Some of us see it withering away humanity and others are too consumed by it that they don't see the correlation or don't want to see it.
We are here because we want to be.
Now get to the dreams you have and keep most of those dreams to yourself because this way no one can purposely derail a dream for you they secretly wish for only themselves.
It should not be a big mystery as to why most people are narcissist when parents make their own lives all about their kids, their entire lives. Not all, but most. And I'm not saying this is a bad thing—parents being present is a great thing and much needed.
Just Stay Focused on YOUR Dreams.
Pick the experts brains in the paths that get you to achieve those dreams because only there is where you will find the final level.
What is The Final Level?
That is the level where you can't ever know the difference between fun and work.
You also lied to me,
But I was never banking on you.
I was only curious of what your love tasted like.
You found out fast that I wouldn't budge from my seat; That I wasn't leaving my son back in New York City for any love in the world. He is my love. He is all the love I will ever need again.
I put an end to that quick, but had I wanted to take advantage I would have flew out to you more than once. I didn't because I also knew that you were going thru something with the man you thought you were supposed to marry.
I didn't pursue you once. I let you be who you are and I let you show me what that means.
I didn't reach out for any answers. I didn't ask for any follow ups and I never reached out to you when your boy reached out to me to express his distaste.
I ignored the insignificant situation and carried on with my love and my life.
Photos were a wonder because we could keep the beautiful moments we wanted to remember that happened in our lives, forever.
Then we made moving images and our worlds began spinning slowly in a whole other direction.
Then we added music which became soundtracks to these moving images and we used those to condense all the most beautiful and epic stories we've ever read.
And now long form content is unwatchable by anyone younger than the iphone.
That was a huge mistake by society as a whole. Grandmas, Grandpas, Uncles and Aunts. Of course, parents leading the pack.
We must collectively reverse this damage beginning with everyone born in 2014 and after 2014.
Force your kids to read the books before sitting thru the movie as a reward to reading the book. Cut all short form content lilke instagram stories, tiktok and youtube shorts off.
It wasn't Hector that told me to write about the positive over the negative whenever I wanted to write, it was God.
Even now, God reminds me to write good stories in my head with the good outcomes and good pathways to those outcomes. It's as if the longer you keep your mind wandering in the negative the more you make that tiny negative your larger reality.
Remind yourself that life is this way and try to stay on the positive side of the rails more than on the negative side of them.
In many cases that requires going against some of the people we were raised by and raised with. The idea is self preservation of your mind too, so keep whoever you need to keep away from you—away.
Dragons, as Yang Earth signs, have a unique "gift" to calm or tame the excess Fire of the Horse. While the year can feel chaotic or overly intense for others, Dragons can restore balance through diplomacy, steady actions, and wisdom—positioning them as peacemakers or stabilizers in turbulent situations.
